CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — The Opelika Songwriters Festival kicks off this Friday evening, offering a weekend full of music and fun. The annual event attracts die-hard music lovers from around the Southeast, who come to see more than 30 singer-songwriters playing 80+ shows during the weekend.
Founded in 2019 by Rob and Jen Slocumb (aka, Martha’s Trouble), the Opelika Songwriters Festival is a multi-day event featuring world-class artists. Intimate listening rooms are created in restaurants, coffee shops, a distillery, pubs and galleries throughout the historic downtown district.
This year’s headline acts include Shawn Colvin, K.T. Tunstall and Sister Hazel. The festival will include performances by Livingston Taylor, Shawn Mullins, Vicki Peterson, John Cowsill and many others. To see the full lineup of artists and the schedule of who’s performing where and when, visit www.opelikasongwritersfestival.com.
Weekend and single-day passes are on sale, with opportunities for add-on experiences, including:
- Saturday Breakfast at Botanic
- Sunday Brunch & Songs with Shawn Colvin, Shawn Mullins and Jon Muq
- Songwriters Workshop with Livingston Taylor
- Guitar Tone Workshop with Larry Mitchell
- Whisky Tasting at John Emerald
In conjunction with the Songwriters Festival, everyone is invited to enter a raffle for a chance to win a Napa Valley Vineyards vacation or a guitar signed by festival artists. Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100, available at www.opelikasongwritersfestival.com. Proceeds will support The Sound Wall Music Initiative, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the art of music in the Auburn-Opelika community.
